Redbud Tree in Bloom - Side Canyon off Bright Angel Trail
(photo by Brian Lane)

Overview
The Canyon has dried out for the most part as any remaining vestiges of snow have melted away from nearly all trails, save for the top portions of North Kaibab and a few small icy spots along Grandview, New Hance, and Tanner Trails. Phoenix hit 102 degrees a couple of days ago, this is about three weeks earlier than average, and a quick reminder of the summer heat soon to come. Temperatures have moderated a bit and a brief storm may hit Northern Arizona this weekend, dropping temps even further, with night time temps around the freezing mark on the South Rim, but with only a slight chance of showers. Inner Canyon temperatures will then rebound into the 80's during the last week of April and into May.

Drinking Water Along the Central Corridor (Bright Angel, South Kaibab & North Kaibab Trails)
As of April 23rd, drinking water is only available at 3-Mile Resthouse on Bright Angel Trail, at Indian Garden, Bright Angel Campground, Cottonwood Campground, and Roaring Springs Day Use Area. No water is ever available along South Kaibab Trail. Hikers should always carry some kind of water purification method or device, since water pipe breaks can occur at any time of the year. 

Other Backcountry Water Sources
Many ephemeral springs are still flowing in the backcountry, but as we move toward summer they will quickly dry out. Always check with the Backcountry Information Center for water availability updates since most remote water sources, other than the Colorado River, can never be depended upon.

North Rim Scheduled to Open Soon
Barring any unforeseen circumstances Highway 67 to the North Rim is expected to re-open on May 15th, 2009. All services and facilities should be operating by that time - but until then the North Rim of Grand Canyon Nat'l Park is not accessible to vehicles.

www.aSenseofNature.com
Please visit my website to see the changes! A whole new site has been rolled out with many added features. Although there are still some changes to be made, it is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the old clunky site. Thanks go out to Mitch Daugherty of Morange Design for all the work putting the site together! Clicking on the orange colored "Grand Canyon Hiker's Blog" heading above will open a new window to the new and improved site.

Hike Smart & Have Fun!
Brian